Mentor Graphics Names PCB Technology Leadership Award Winners

Continuing in its tradition of promoting and recognizing Printed Circuit Board (PCB) design excellence, Mentor Graphics announced winners of its 21st annual PCB Technology Leadership Awards.

Started in 1988, this program is the longest running competition of its kind in the Electronic Design Automation (EDA) industry. It recognizes engineers and Computer Aided Design (CAD) designers who use advanced methods and design tools to address today's complex PCB systems design challenges and produce new products.

"The complexity of the designs submitted represents how rapidly the electronics industry is progressing and how designers are leveraging their Mentor tools to implement innovative approaches with advanced PCB technologies," said Pete Waddell, editor of Printed Circuit Design and Fab magazine, and president of UP Media Group. "The fact that 89 percent of the entries had a high percentage of high-speed nets, and 44 percent of entries used advanced PCB fabrication technologies like HDI/microvias are examples of pushing the envelope to develop products that are more competitive."

Industry experts judged entries from 17 countries in five categories representing a wide variety of industries. The PCB industry expert judges included Happy Holden, senior technology specialist of Mentor Graphics; Gary Ferrari, technical support director, FTG Circuits; Pete Waddell, vice president of UP Media Group and publisher of Printed Circuit Designs & Fab magazine; Andy Kowalewski, senior interconnect designer, AdvantagePCB; and Rick Hartley, senior principal engineer, avionics division of L-3 Communications.

2009 Technology Leadership Award Winners

- Category: Best Overall Design: Company Name: Tellabs, USA - Using the Expedition Enterprise, HyperLynx SI products. Design Team: Steven Everly, Stephen Mihal

- Category: Consumer Electronics & Handhelds: Company Name: Panasonic, Japan - Using the Expedition Enterprise, HyperLynx SI products. Design Team: Takayuki Hinokidani, Shuhei Osako. Runner Up: Vestel Electronic, Turkey - Using the Expedition Enterprise product

- Category: Industrial Control, Instrumentation, Security & Medical: Company Name: CiBoard Electronic, Germany - Using the PADS and Expedition Enterprise products. Designer: Michael Schwitzer. Runner Up: Oregano Systems, Austria - Using the Expedition Enterprise, HyperLynx SI products

- Category: Military & Aerospace: Company Name: GE Fanuc, UK - Using the Expedition Enterprise product. Design Team: Ian McCormick, Jim Rose. Runners Up (tied) General Dynamics, Canada - Using the Board Station XE, HyperLynx PI products; DRS, Canada - Using the Expedition Enterprise, HyperLynx SI products

- Category: Computers, Blade & Servers, Memory Systems: Company Name: Kontron, Canada - Using the Expedition Enterprise product. Designer: Benoit Mainville. Runner Up: SiennaECAD, India - Using the PADS product

- Category: Telecom, Network Controllers, Line cards: Company Name: Alcatel-Lucent, US - Using the Expedition Enterprise product. Designer: Susan Plul. Runners Up (tied): RAD Data Comm, Israel - Using the Expedition Enterprise, HyperLynx SI products; Rancore Technologies, India - Using the PADS, HyperLynx SI/PI products

Mentor Graphics is a provider of electronic hardware and software design solutions, supplying products, consulting services and support for electronics and semiconductor companies.

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